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Curley
Company Credits Length: '''53 minutes '''Producer: Hal Roach, Hal Roach Jr., and Robert F. McGowan Director: ' Bernard Carr '''Photography: ' John W. Boyle 'Editor: ' Bert Jordan '''Titles: Writer: ''' Dorothy Davenport, Mary McCarthy, and Robert F. McGowan '''Released: August 23, 1947 Studio: United Artists Main Cast * Ardda Lynwood - Ardda Benson * Billy Andrews - Biff * Billy Gray - Sandy * Dale Belding - Specks * Donald King - Dat * Eilene Janssen - Betty * Eugene Holland - Hank Peters * George McDonald - Bozo * Georgie Nokes - Chuck * Gerald Perreau - Dudley 'Dud' * Larry Olsen - William "Curley" Benson * Renee Beard - Dis Supporting Cast * Edna Holland - Miss Payne * Frances Rafferty - Mildred Johnson * Jimmy Menzies - Jimmie M. * Kathleen Howard - Aunt Martha Johnson * Tommie Menzies - Tommie M. The Short Plot: After the beloved elementary schoolteacher of Lakeview gets married, William "Curley" Benson and his classmates make plans to get rid of their new teacher, whom they believe to be the crotchety, middle-aged Miss Johnson. Miss Payne, the county supervisor, visits Miss Johnson and discovers that the new teacher is actually Miss Johnson's niece Mildred, a pretty young woman who taught athletics in the Navy. Miss Payne sternly warns Mildred that she is too immature to handle the spirited children of Lakeview. On the morning of the first day of school, after Mildred offers the unsuspecting Curley a ride to school, he tells her about the pranks that he and his friends are going to play on "Pigglepuss," their new teacher, including putting Curley's pet frog, Croakey on her chair. Curley also confesses their hope that Miss Johnson will quit so that they can spend the day fishing. At the school, after loading his "rocketship" car with smoking flares and aiming an exhaust tube through a classroom window, Curley takes his seat and discovers that his new teacher is none other than the kindhearted Mildred. She teaches the children a lesson by making each one a victim of his own prank, and Curley, humiliated, flees. When the schoolroom fills with exhaust, Curley is blamed, but is chasing the toy car, not driving it. The car has been taken by "Dis" and "Dat," two mischievous children, who send it careening wildly across fields and into a haystack. Miss Payne appears on the scene and crashes her car while trying to avoid the moving haystack, then angrily decries Mildred for her inability to discipline. Mildred, meanwhile, has taken the children on a picnic with her aunt, and offers to teach them baseball, football and boxing in exchange for good grades. As Mildred boxes with Hank, a tough student, Miss Payne arrives to scrutinize her performance. Curley emerges to help, but inadvertently sends Hank flying into the lake. Dejected, he leaves the picnic. After the children enthusiastically thank Miss Payne for Mildred, Miss Payne explains to Mildred that when the classroom filled with smoke, Curley was chasing his "rocketship," not driving it. Mildred finally finds Curley hiding and crying, afraid he will be expelled and Mildred, fired. She reassures him with cake and ice cream, however, and picks up Croakey. Quotes: * None Notes/Trivia: * Renee Beard (Dis) was the brother of Matthew Beard, Carlena Beard, Bobbie Beard, and Betty Jane Beard. * Billy Gray (Sandy) would later grow up to star as "Bud" in the TV-Series, "Father Knows Best." * Following its less than stellar release, United Artists edited "Curley" with "The Fabulous Joe" into "The Hal Roach Comedy Hour." By the Eighties, "Curley" was re-edited with Who Killed Doc Robbin into "The Adventures Of Curley And His Gang" and "Curley And His Gang In The Haunted Mansion." Sequence * Previous Short: * Next Short: Who Killed Doc Robbin ---- Category:Feature Film Category:1947 Category:Our Gang Revivals